Published 18:34 IST, May 29th 2020
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma rift continues? Instagram live chats shed some light on it
Reports suggesting a rift between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have escalated with the duo yet to go live on Instagram together amidst the coronavirus lockdown.
Team India captain Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have established themselves as India's top cricketers over the years. However, reports have emerged of a Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma rift again amidst the lockdown. The duo have been the centre of India's split captaincy debate, with many former cricketers suggesting that Rohit Sharma should be handed the reigns in the limited-overs formats, while Virat Kohli continues to lead the side in the longest format of the game.
Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma rift reports escalate after the two have not held Instagram live session
With cricket action suspended amidst the coronavirus lockdown, Team India stars have been forced to stay indoors. The postponement of the IPL has seen each other on Instagram live chats. Virat Kohli has spoken to former England captain Kevin Pietersen, former South Africa captain and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammate AB de Villiers and Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma has spoken with Mohammad Shami, Harbhajan Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, David Warner, Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues.
However, surprisingly, the duo are yet to go live together on Instagram, which has escalated reports of a Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma rift. During the Instagram chats with other cricketers, none of them spoke about each other or were asked about each other as well. Ironically, the duo are virtually neighbours, staying in close proximity in the posh area of Worli in Mumbai.
The news of the Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma rift emerged during the 2019 Cricket World Cup. So much so, a couple of BCCI officials travelled to England after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma both unfollowed each other on Instagram. The vice-captain had also unfollowed Kohli's wife Anushka Sharma on Instagram and reports suggested that the board was looking to split the captaincy between the duo. Post the World Cup debacle, reports suggested that the team was divided into two factions. However, the duo publicly quashed rumours of the Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma rift.
Virat Kohli was announced as captain of the Indian Test cricket team in 2014, before taking over the reins in all formats of the game in 2017. Rohit Sharma has been India's stand-in captain whenever the RCB star has been rested, with the Indian team lifting the Asia Cup and the Nidahas Trophy under his helm. In the IPL, the Mumbai batsman has won five titles, with four coming as the captain of Mumbai Indians. On the other hand, the Delhi batsman is yet to lift an IPL title with RCB.
Updated 18:38 IST, May 29th 2020